HTC One mini Pro Reviews

The HTC One Mini was an attempt in HTC offering a smaller version of its popular HTC One. The HTC One Mini may not have the high-end specs of the HTC One, but for a product its size, it’s an extremely impressive smartphone. The HTC One Mini has a rather large screen, a powerful dual-core processor and enough unique bells and whistles to make it a worthwhile device for those seriously considering it. If you’re looking for an Android smartphone that is a little more easy to handle as well as a fraction of the price of the HTC One, the HTC One Mini does a great job of bringing the HTC One experience into a smaller package. We just wish HTC would have offered an HTC One Mini with 32GB of internal storage, especially given the device doesn’t have a microSD card slot. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a larger screen, more internal storage space and high-end specs, we wouldn’t blame you if you picked up the HTC One instead. Regardless of which device you pick up, we’re confident you’re going to be enjoying your experience for a long time.

The HTC One mini is the most appealing non-flagship smartphone we've seen in a while. And that's saying a lot: there are more choices than ever, with recent screen and processor improvements now adding incremental improvements across the board. Ultimately, it all comes down to the pricing here. The One mini is a beautiful phone that feels and often handles like a top-tier model, even if it isn't quite as classy as the One flagship. In the UK, Carphone Warehouse has priced the One mini at £380 (roughly $580), or free on contract at £27 per month. The bigger One costs only £100 more off-contract, or free from £33 per month. Is that a big enough pricing gap to win over discerning shoppers? Probably not. All told, the mini still bests rival middleweight phones in several ways, with the similarly sized, similarly priced Galaxy S4 Mini making for an easy comparison. The One mini's 720p screen is way ahead of the qHD screen found on Samsung' Galaxy S4 Mini, while the build quality and styling is a cut above the competition. There's also the excellent camera and software additions HTC has made -- all points in the One mini's favor. For most people, the drawbacks (no optical image stabilization, IR blaster, NFC, lower screen resolution and storage) will outweigh the price saving compared to the original One, but the mini remains a strong phone in its own right. If only it were a little cheaper.

My encounter with the HTC One mini underlines the increasing irrelevance of specs to the smartphone user experience. HTC managed to chop the One’s processing credentials in half without introducing any tangible performance shortcomings. The One mini betrays its budget limitations with a disappointing battery and a smaller feature set, but the fundamental experience of using it is nigh on identical to the senior One. That means you get both the good and the bad aspects of the original: stellar display and sturdy construction, but also unhelpful software and a substandard camera. HTC has already stated its intent to price the One mini aggressively, hoping it will carve out its own niche in the highly competitive mid-range LTE phone market. If it does, it’ll be welcome evidence that trickling down flagship features and design to smaller and cheaper handsets is indeed a winning formula, which in turn should lead to more of this class of mini devices. One thing’s for sure: the One mini is no mere brandmate to the One. It lives up to the promise of its name.

Overall, we enjoyed our time with the One Mini! It is a solid phone which performs well, considering the lower specifications it has. With the new trends of screens becoming larger and larger, it is good to finally have a small(er) phone on the radar if you’re looking for one (that doesn’t wear an Apple logo). However, the mid-range, smaller phone segment, has other notable members, like the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, the phone which you also should check out. Even though the One Mini is superior in some respects, the S4 Mini has a better camera.

HTC did a bang-up job with the One mini. Minus a few features, it’s every bit as good as the larger One. The smaller footprint makes the mini more usable and hand-friendly, and HTC was able to retain the high-quality feel and experience of its flagship product despite some minor design changes. Highlights include the camera, display, call quality, BoomSound, and of course the aluminum materials. The slightly updated version of Sense 5 makes the usability improvements needed to put the mini in "excellent" territory when it comes to the user interface. I like that BlinkFeed is more manageable, and that the gallery software has been simplified. The mini loses the One's NFC, IR blaster, and faster processor, but most people won't notice their omission. The mini is an excellent choice for people who dislike large devices but still want the best-possible experience from their smartphone.

If you care for things like camera, storage and battery backup the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is the phone for you. The build and finish, audio quality and screen resolution are HTC One mini's bid to match the Samsung offer. Perhaps even beat it? That depends on who you are and what you need in a smartphone. To us, the HTC One mini seems like the more attractive package - it's just better at making a good first impression. The Galaxy S4 mini has the higher clock speed, superior battery backup and expandable memory but squeezing every bit of processing power, every last drop of juice and megabyte of storage is of utmost importance to power users, who rarely are the target here. Then again, the Galaxy S4 mini is cheaper and is the better cameraphone. OK, this is beginning to look like the two sides of the same coin. But hopefully - if you stayed thus far - not one you'll need to toss to make up your mind.

If you're sick of all-plastic phones and you are a sucker for premium feeling handsets with great screens (there's a great shortage of those in the mid-range), that probably won't stop you from getting the HTC One mini, though.

The HTC One mini is an interesting proposition. For $600, you can grab an unlocked HTC One, and for $500, you can get a HTC One mini, so by opting for a 4.3-inch display, you’re saving yourself $100. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as going for a smaller display: you’re also getting a SoC downgrade from a Snapdragon 600 to Snapdragon 400, with less RAM, less storage and less connectivity features; plus a camera that lacks stabilization, and a smaller battery.Without considering other phones on the market, the HTC One mini is a very solid device for its class. The 4.3-inch Super LCD 2 display is very high quality, the build quality is top-notch despite not reducing the size of the phone significantly, and the Snapdragon 400 provides enough performance for everyday use. HTC’s Ultrapixel camera is still somewhat a disappointment, but software tweaks could improve it in the future. The problem I have with the One mini is that through spending an extra $100 to buy the full-sized HTC One, you’re getting a range of improvements across the board which are more than worth the extra cost. The HTC One is also only 5mm wider and taller, making the mini not that much smaller, so unless you’re extremely attached to the idea of a 4.3-inch display, the mini isn’t the HTC device that should be on your radar.

The HTC One Mini is one of the nicest-looking mid-range smartphones we’ve ever had laid eyes on. It’s also extremely comfortable to hold and easier to use with one hand than larger-screen devices that (iPhone aside) dominate the market these days. But at its current $100 price, we don’t think it makes sense for most buyers, when the much better HTC One can be had for $100 more (or $50 more if you’re willing to take a refurbished phone). The One has better battery life, a higher-res screen, much better speakers, more internal storage and better performance than the Mini. Those bored with iOS, but want to stick with a small screen may find the Mini appealing for its small size and low price. But if the iPhone’s screen size isn’t an issue for you, you may want to give iOS 7 and the new iPhone 5C some consideration, as it can be picked up at retailers like Target and Walmart for $20 less than the Mini. The Mini’s screen and solid build quality are good for a mid-range phone, but we don’t think the sacrifices (there’s also no NFC chip) HTC made when stepping down to the Mini are worth saving $50 or $100 for a device you’re likely to be stuck with for two years. When the Mini’s price drops to $50 or becomes free on contract, it’s definitely worth of consideration if you’re partial to small screens. Just make sure you keep a charger handy if you don’t leave your smartphone in your pocket.

The HTC One Mini is a stunningly quick phone to use, with a great looking touch screen that is responsive and should be easy to use for anyone who is used to Android (or other) smartphones. The phone feels great in the hand, with the smaller screen and phone body feeling just right for one handed use, and the lower price compared to the HTC One is welcome. However, while the lower resolution 4 megapixel sensor and bright f/2.0 lens give better low light performance in low light, it is a shame that that phone lacks optical image stabilisation from the HTC One. In good light you'll also wish that there was a higher resolution sensor where photos show a lack of detail compared to other 8 and 13 megapixel camera phones. As with the HTC One, the Mini delivers HDR photos and videos that are impressive, as well as high speed shooting. As a smart phone, the HTC One Mini is excellent, and available for a better price than the larger HTC One, however we would welcome a better camera. For those that already have a better (dedicated) camera, this would make an excellent companion mobile phone, fitting easily into small spaces, and came very close to being recommended.

The AT&T HTC One Mini stuffs plenty of features into a compact design with a nice price, but its reception isn't up to snuff.

With its classy design and strong midrange feature set, the HTC One Mini is currently my favorite smartphone in its class. Its major constraint is its limited storage with no option to expand, so skip it if you require more than 16GB total. The absent NFC and IR blaster aren't major enough omissions to turn away most prospective buyers, and though it has fewer ancillary software extras, there's no way you're going hungry. I highly recommend the One Mini. If you're looking for a smartphone that costs $100 or less, the only question mark hanging over the One Mini is any other smartphone promotion that knocks a premium device down to the same price point. If the One is on sale for the same price, it's still the better value with its 32GB internal storage and higher-end features, although it is also the slightly larger and heavier device.

When having to decide if your next smartphone will be the HTC One Mini or the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, you might as well state the question which of the flagships of the manufacturers will be your future companion since both devices fight with the same advantages and disadvantages as the mini variants do. On the one hand the case of both HTC models is made of aluminum and seems more high-grade, on the other hand the battery is not interchangeable and the internal memory cannot be expanded. In contrast to that is the Galaxy S4 Mini with its plastic case and an impression that is not as high-grade. Concerning the display the two models don't differ a lot since both are well equipped for outdoor usage and have extremely high viewing angle stability. Only the resolution varies between the two models - in favor of the One Mini. Performance-wise the S4 Mini has a high clock rate and 50% more main memory at its disposal. The better result becomes apparent in the benchmarks. As can be seen, it is a constant weighing of the strengths and weaknesses of both devices. Thus a definite recommendation on our site cannot be made because too many personal and therefore subjective impressions and perceptions play a role in this decision. But there is one thing that can be evaluated objectively: the price. With an RRP of 449 Euros (~$599) it is by no means mini. A distinct advantage for the Galaxy S4 Mini since it is currently sold for a price of about 380 Euros (~$507).

A fast and responsive smartphone, but let down by meagre storage

A great-looking phone with a fantastic screen and smooth operating system. An Android handset with few compromises

The HTC One mini sets a great example for how a more compact, cheaper version of an annual flagship should be done. HTC kept the same stellar and recognizable design the One has, and didn't leave out any of the unique features like the best phone speakers or the UltraPixel camera. To achieve a lower price, it only skimped on aspects that are likely to matter less for the average user, like taking away a bit of processing power and memory. We can't even say it skimped on screen resolution, as HD is plenty for the 4.3” diagonal. The lack of the OIS camera tech is also of dubious significance. The most direct competitor to the HTC One mini is the Galaxy S4 mini, with the same screen size and the mojo of the flagship Galaxy line in its turn. It is just no match, however, in term of design and features to the elegant One mini, not to mention the lower resolution of its Super AMOLED display – all of which doesn't preclude Samsung from selling it for the same price. Another competitor is Huawei's Ascend P6, which has premium design with ultra slim profile, too, but is a tad larger, and with worse camera and sound quality, though at a slightly lower price. If you dare to venture outside the Android world, the Nokia Lumia 720 will be a cheaper bet, with a good camera, too, and a microSD slot, but lower screen resolution and smaller app count.

In the end you’ll have to base your decision to purchase this device on whether or not you’re willing to make a trade-off in size and for a few odd features for a lower price point. If you’re not seeing this decision between the HTC One and the HTC One mini as a trade-of, and instead simply want a smaller device that fits your hand better than the original, then you’ll be good to go! In the end, this machine takes everything that was great about the HTC One and jams it into a smaller package.Let us know if there’s anything else about this device that you’d like SlashGear to test – this is a living review, after all, and we’ll continue to update as you, the reader, would ask us to. We’re here to provide you with the information you want on the HTC One mini – the same being true of all our reviews – stay tuned!

The HTC One mini brings a lot to the party. It looks good, it sounds good and it performs well enough on everyday tasks. It's a great mid-range device, with an experience that's very much the same as the larger HTC One. It might be a little slower, it might be a touch more limited, but it's still rather accomplished. At £379, it's not exactly bargain basement, undercut by some of its rivals, including some that are more powerful. But in return for your cash you get a handset that looks beautiful and feels beautiful and some would say that justifies the cost. There will be those that question why there's a drop down in specs. Why is the HTC One mini build as a mid-range device, rather than offering all the power of the larger model? There may be technical reasons, like physical space or heat dissipation. We suspect the real reason is that HTC felt the need to offer a more affordable device to widen the portfolio. The HTC One mini is a great Android smartphone. The design and built are outstanding, the user experience offered by HTC Sense 5 is commendable and the step back into mid-range specs isn't hugely to the phone's detriment. The HTC One is still the better device, but for those who want that experience in a smaller package, the HTC One mini delivers.

There's no point us calling a winner here as the HTC One is clearly the superior device. It's really up to you to decide whether the extra money is worth it and it's a tough call. Key things to point out include the HTC One's lower storage capacity and lack of infrared and NFC.